


The Conversation

by LadyDuchess



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Character Death, F/M, Friendship, Grief/Mourning, Older Woman/Younger Man, Tissue Warning, Tragic Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-02 04:53:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2800283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDuchess/pseuds/LadyDuchess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set directly after the opening sequence of Skyfall.  Tanner goes to speak to M.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Conversation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wolfsbride](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfsbride/gifts).



The clock showed half past ten when M glanced up from her computer.  The knock on the door had drawn her attention away from the report she had been reading.

"Yes?"  She called out.

Tanner opened the door and walked inside, closing the door softly behind him.

"Ma'am, Agent Moneypenny has returned to base.  She's being housed here overnight to undergo her psych evaluation in the morning."  They both knew the reason for the evaluation. 

Had it only been this morning that the floor had fallen out from under her?  "Very good.  Will that be all?"  M spoke impatiently. 

Tanner eyed M with concern.  She was a blank slate, unreadable.  "Permission to speak freely ma'am?"

She let five seconds pass before she shook her head and uttered the word "No."  M knew what Bill would say and she didn't want to hear it.  Not while she was hanging on by the tips of her fingers.

Tanner gritted his teeth and nodded the acknowledgement.  He knew she was stubborn but she had a right to grieve.  "Will there be anything before I take my leave?"

"No, I'll call for my car when I'm ready to go."  With that M looked back down at the report she had been reading.

She looked up at Tanner clearing his throat.  M watched as he reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out an envelope.  Her eyebrow raised in question. 

"James asked me to give you this if there were any complications with the mission."  He placed the letter on the desk in front of her.  "If you need anything, please call."  His words were firm and sincere.  "Goodnight."

M watched as he turned and walked out of her office.  She looked down at the white envelope with the letter "M" inscribed across the font.  She ran her fingers lightly across the ink, almost afraid it would disappear.

When had he written this and when had he given it to Tanner?  He had left her bed to catch the flight to Turkey.  Bill had been the only person to know of their relationship.  He knew her schedule better than she did herself and had quickly caught on when she had started to slip away early from the office.  It had been a relief when he had revealed he knew who she had been slipping away to see.  Tanner was one of only two people she trusted completely at MI6, the other had been James.

M pulled the bottle of Macallan closer and poured a double, downing half in one go before picking up the letter.  She opened it carefully, knowing that his hands had touched the paper.  She sat back in her chair and took a ragged breath, tears burned at the brim of her eyes.  The sheet had only two lines written with a distinctive signature at the bottom.  **_It's always been you.  I wish we had more time._**   Her next breath was a sob.  M doubled over her desk and gave into her grief.  Tanner's ear caught the muffled "James" as he pulled the door latch closed.

**Author's Note:**

> *hugs* to my readers...I was feeling rather sad when I wrote this.


End file.
